Page 57 of The Love We Make

“Nu-huh.” She gives me a once-over, as though she’s been told that she should eat breakfast somewhere else today and it’s all my fault. Or maybe she just really disapproves of my body. “I’m just going to arrange some stuff in the gym and head out. See you tomorrow, Ricky.” She blows Ricky a surprisingly coquettish air kiss. “Ma’am.” For me, she only has a terse nod on offer, as though she doesn’t agree with me keeping Nora up past her usual bedtime. I don’t agree with being woken up so early, so I guess that makes us even.

“I wouldn’t want to spend any time with her in the gym, but Marcy’s actually a sweetheart once you get to know her.” Ricky sends me an apologetic smile. “Now, tell me. What can I make for you. Eggs? Avos? Buddha bowl?”

“You know what, Ricky, you can make me whatever tickles your fancy. As long as it’s not one of those smoothies.”

“I’m making avocado and black bean eggs for Nora. Shall I make that two portions?”

“Sure.”

I watch Ricky as he gets to work. He’s a chatty guy and pleasant company.

“I met Nora at the LGBT Center,” he says, after we’ve been exchanging small talk for a while. “She only employs people she knows through there. People like me, who really need a job, you know? It’s like adding rocket fuel to your résumé when you can say you worked for Nora Levine.”

“Really?” All this time I’ve spent with Nora, and she’s never breathed a word about this—she’s usually too busy putting herself down.

“Except for Marcy.” Ricky giggles. “She’s straight out of the army.”

Nora joins us. Apart from a soft pink color in her cheeks, you can’t tell she just did god-knows-what in the gym. She’s dressed in jeans and a pale-blue sweater. Her wet hair is pulled back in a ponytail. “Hey, did you get some more sleep?” She briefly puts a hand on my knee.

“A bit.”

“I should have told you last night that I’m an early riser. Sorry. It slipped my mind due to… circumstances.”

“Now I know and I will never, ever forget.” That alarm clock might have scarred me for life.

“I only get up this early when we’re shooting and I have to be on set early. So it’s just for a few months each year.”

“Breakfast’s ready,” Ricky says.

“Let’s eat outside. It’s a beautiful day,” Nora says.

After we’ve sat down and Ricky has gone back into the kitchen, I glance up at Nora. “I could get used to this. Well, minus the five o’clock alarm.”

Nora tucks into her food with the kind of gusto I’ve not seen from her before. “You’re welcome here any time,” she says in between greedy bites.

CHAPTER25

NORA

Marcy has worn me out completely. My arms tremble as I cut up my eggs. Ricky makes them just how I like them, runny but not to the point of slimy. I usually spend this hour before going to work recovering from my workout in complete silence, some much needed peace and quiet before another crazy day on set, but not today—not that I mind, I just need to adjust a little.

“Am I welcome here again tonight?” Mimi asks.

“Sorry. I can’t tonight.” I need to tell Juan and Imani about last night, after which I need to catch up on the sleep I missed. My alarm will be going off at five again tomorrow—and Marcy really has no mercy. “Just so we’re clear, I can tell Juan about, um, this? About us? It’s not a problem because of Austin?”

“Of course you can tell your friend, Nora.”

“Are you going to tell Austin? Juan won’t say anything to Austin if I ask him not to, but… it’s a bit of an awkward situation to put him in.”

“It’s a bit early to tell my kids,” Mimi says. She’s totally right.

“I get it. It is way too early.” I have no clue what I’m doing yet—I haven’t even fully grasped that I’m doing it. “But I can’t keep this from my friends. Not even if I wanted to. They’ll read it off my face as soon as they lay eyes on me.”

“Let’s not worry about that,” Mimi says. “This is delicious, by the way.”

How can Mimi not stress about this? “Aren’t you worried your kids will find out?”

“If they do, they do. I can handle it.”

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